


A Hufflepuff's Guide to Dating for Hopeless Gryffindors

by lilydahlia



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, F/M, First Date, Marriage Proposal, New Year's Eve, Sexual Content, Snogging, cuteness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-17
Updated: 2015-08-28
Packaged: 2018-04-15 03:56:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4592007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilydahlia/pseuds/lilydahlia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hannah asks Neville out on a date to teach him the "rules." What happens next...only time will tell.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Getting to Know You

**Author's Note:**

> The prompt for this one was "Why they call it falling." My lovely friend, Andy gave me the idea to write out Neville and Hannah's date this way, so I did. And my lovely RPG wifey, Sara read it before I posted it over at IJ. Thanks to both of you for your input on this! <3 
> 
> I'm currently working on the next chapter, so hopefully I'll have it up in a few days!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannah decides Neville could use a little dating advice.

It had been two years since the war ended, but Hannah Abbott still couldn't forget the time spent in the Room of Requirement. She hadn't really felt completely safe there, but she had been with friends and that had been enough. She remembered the nights when Ernie Macmillan had held her in his arms so she could sleep.

Even now, when she couldn't sleep, she'd owl him and ask him to come over and just hold her. And Ernie, being who he was, would Apparate to her room at the Leaky Cauldron and hold her until she fell asleep.

After several nights of bad dreams, Hannah woke up, stretching out beside Ernie in the early morning light. His arms were wrapped tightly around her middle, just under her breasts. It wasn't weird being like this with him, as he was her best friend. But she knew that she couldn't lead him on to think there was still something between them. They'd both agreed to see other people once they'd left Hogwarts for good, but it was hard since they'd been so close. Still, Hannah knew she needed to make a clean break and stop relying on him so much.

“Ern, wake up,” she said, nudging him. “We need to talk.”

* * *

A few days after Hannah had completely broken Ernie's heart, she was beginning to regret her decision. She couldn't take it back though and she hoped that Ernie would eventually start talking to her again.

Hannah threw herself into work and tried not to think about it. She was bartending regularly on the weekends and she knew it was going to be packed with the school year just starting.

She headed downstairs, putting on her apron as she went. The noise from the regulars pouring in hit her as soon as she reached the bottom of the staircase.

“Oi! Abbott,” someone called. “Go pour me a drink!”

Hannah laughed as she recognized Gregory Goyle's booming voice. “I'm on my way, love! Give a girl a minute to get in the door first.”

She made her way behind the bar to relieve a tired looking Tom. “I'd have been down earlier if you'd have called for me,” she told him as she filled up a glass with Goyle's regular.

“It's all right,” he replied as he handed her a towel. “You may need to refill a few things before the end of the night, but you shouldn't have any problems. If you do, you know how to reach me.”

With that, Tom left her alone with Michael at the bar.

“Heads and hands up,” Hannah said as she slid Goyle's drink down the bar to him. “Who's next?”

* * *

Over the next hour, Hannah filled more drink orders than she had in a month. And she saw so many of her former class mates that she was beginning to think it might be a Hogwarts reunion night. But she didn't see Ernie, so she knew he still hadn't worked out his feelings for her. It was just as well that he wasn't there because Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein kept flirting with her every time she brought out another pitcher of mead to their table.

She'd just gotten back behind the bar to help Michael when she saw a familiar face come in the door.

Neville Longbottom looked like he'd just barely survived his first week of teaching classes at Hogwarts. His hair was standing up on his head as if he'd run his fingers through it several times in absolute frustration and his jumper looked like something had recently been spilled on it.

“What can I get you?” she asked him with a warm smile as he sat down on the bar stool in front of her.

“Firewhiskey and keep them coming,” he muttered as he tried to flatten his hair.

“Bad day?” Hannah asked as she poured his drink and sat it in front of him.

“Worse,” Neville replied taking a sip of his drink. He grimaced at the taste and sat the glass back down. “Bad date.”

“What was so horrible about it?” Hannah asked as she poured another shot for Goyle and sent it down the bar to him.

“I'm rubbish at it, apparently,” he said, scratching the back of his neck. “No one ever explained the rules to me. I didn't even know there were rules.”

Hannah bit her lip to keep from laughing. But the way Neville said things, made her want to laugh. He was quite funny when he wasn't trying to be.

“There aren't rules, per se,” she replied, tossing her towel over her shoulder as she leaned against the bar. “Just expectations. And I'm guessing from the spilled drink on your shirt that you didn't live up to hers, eh?”

“Evidently not,” Neville replied with a sigh as he tentatively took another sip of his whiskey. “I believe she said something about me being a cheap jerk before she tossed her drink on me and walked out of the restaurant.”

Hannah couldn't help but laugh then, but she quickly covered her mouth and muttered a sorry at him.

“Go ahead and laugh,” he said. “I probably deserve it.”

“No, I shouldn't,” Hannah replied. “Where did you take her?”

“Some Muggle diner not far from here,” he replied. “It wasn't that bad, but apparently she thought it was. How as I supposed to know she wanted to go somewhere _expensive_ on a first date.”

“Expensive, really?” Hannah laughed again. “She must've thought you were well off to expect that.”

Neville shrugged. “Dunno,” he said as he finished off his drink with another grimace. “I met her at The Three Broomsticks before term started. Thought she was pretty so I asked her out.”

Hannah poured him another drink before she grabbed the empty glasses at the other end of the bar.

“I guess you could use some pointers for next time, couldn't you?”

“I doubt there'll be a next time after word gets out,” Neville replied, rubbing his hands over his face.

“Oh, I wouldn't give up yet,” Hannah grinned. “Besides, after you go out with me, you'll know exactly what to do and not to do.”

“Yeah...I'll...I'm what?” he stuttered, blinking up at her. “You'd really go out on a date with me just to teach me the rules?”

“Why not?” she asked as she cleaned some glasses and put them back on the shelf. “It would help you and we would get to know each other. That's what a date's really about, you know.”

“Hannah, we've known each other since first year,” Neville laughed. “Do you really think we'd find something to talk about other than things that happened at Hogwarts?”

Hannah shook her head at him as she nodded a goodbye to a couple who was leaving.

“I'm pretty sure there are things we don't know about each other,” she replied. “It's not like we stayed up late in the Room of Requirement braiding each other's hair.”

Neville choked, spitting out some of his drink. “You have an interesting way of putting things.”

Hannah laughed and shrugged. “I have to make things interesting or I'll go crazy,” she said. “Hold that thought though, the Ravenclaw crew wants another pitcher.”

Neville nodded and looked down at his drink. He'd thought his night would only get worse after he paid for his meal and the drink that had been tossed on him. But it was actually getting better. Hannah had always been friendly toward him, but Neville hadn't really given any thought to asking her out. And the best thing had happened – he didn't have to because she'd asked _him_ out.

“All right boys, this is the last one,” she said to Terry and Anthony. “Unless you hand over your wands right now. If you have another, you'll have to Floo home. I won't have you splinching yourselves if you keep drinking until close.”

“Aw, come on, Han, just one more after this,” Anthony protested as he ran his hand up the back of her leg. “I won't tell Tom if you don't.”

“No means no, Anthony,” she said, removing his hand with ease. “Wands or I'm cutting you off and I'll get the Knight Bus to take you home.”

Fortunately, Terry saw reason and kicked his friend under the table. “Bring us the bill and we'll take the bus home. Promise.”

Hannah pulled the ticket from her apron and put it on the table. “If I hear of either of you being taken to St. Mungo's I'm going to send you Howlers instead of chocolates,” she said, casting a pointed look at Anthony. “Have a good night.”

With that, she left the table and headed back to Neville, who had switched to a butter beer while she'd been gone.

“Sorry about that,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I have to deal with them every Saturday night. And it keeps getting worse. Anthony has asked me out at least ten times in the past week and he knows the answer is always going to be a resounding no.”

Neville glanced back at the two Ravenclaws who were laughing about something Anthony had said. He didn't know them very well and he wasn't about to make any judgements.

“Why d'you keep saying no? He can't be that bad, can he?”

“Trust me, he is,” Hannah said, rolling her eyes. “It's one thing to touch me, it's another to grab my arse all the time. But it's all part of the job.”

“If it bothers you, why do you stay? You could do something better than run this place for Tom when he's not here.”

“Well, I owe Tom a lot for one,” she replied. “He lets me stay here and he needs someone to take over when he retires in a few years. He's already offered to sell the place to me if I want it.”

“Seems like you've got your life figured out then,” Neville replied, sipping his butter beer.

“Sort of,” she said, wiping down the bar as more people left. “I just have an idea of what I want. And I do want to run my own place. I'd probably make it more of a bed and breakfast though.”

Neville nodded. “I could see that.”

“So,” Hannah grinned. “Are you free tomorrow night for our date?”

“I guess,” Neville replied, still unsure as to why Hannah was trying to help him. “I mean, yeah. I don't have anything planned.”

“Great!” Hannah said, leaning against the counter. “Pick me up here at seven. I'll owl you further instructions after I close up tonight.”

Neville made a face at her. Instructions? He couldn't even think what they'd be at the moment.

“Fair enough,” he said, finishing off his butter beer. “I'd best be heading back to the castle. I should grade a few papers tonight so I don't have to do them tomorrow.”

“You already made them write papers? First week and you've already got them moaning about homework,” Hannah teased.

“Well, yeah,” he replied, pulling out the money to pay his bill. “They've got to show me they're learning in class. I don't want them to think my class is too easy. Herbology takes loads of work and even I don't know it all m'self.”

Hannah nodded. “I suppose you're right,” she said. “I liked Herbology, but somehow I always managed to nearly kill my plants. Well, except for the time we did the Mandrakes. You couldn't kill them. I don't think I'd have made it through the class if it hadn't been for your help.”

Neville laughed. “Don't remind me about Mandrakes. I fainted that year. I've got some extra padded earmuffs that don't move for that project.”

“See, you're getting better, you're learning,” she teased as she accepted his money and gave him the change for his drinks.

Neville dropped the change in the jar on the counter marked “Tips” and gave her a smile.

“So, I'll be expecting your owl later and I'll definitely see you tomorrow at seven,” he said as he started to leave.

“Count on it,” she said, giving him a saucy wink.

* * *

Hannah hummed to herself as she walked upstairs to her room. It had been a long night but at least she'd gotten a date. And with Neville no less. True, she'd asked him out, but it was still a date. And it was one she fully intended on enjoying.

She opened the door to her room and pulled her hair down. She kicked the door closed with her foot and pulled out her wand to lock it. She went to her private bathroom and changed into her nightgown, quickly brushing her teeth and combing out her hair.

She took a seat at the small writing desk beside her bed and pulled out her quill and parchment.

_Neville,_

_It really was great to see you tonight. Here are the instructions I promised._

_1\. Dress nicely and be presentable. We like that._   
_2\. Bring flowers. Roses are nice, but not necessary. We like flowers and we expect them – not on every date, but on the important ones. Such as the first date, anniversaries and special occasions, such as birthdays and holidays._   
_3\. Chocolates are not necessary, but on Valentine's Day, they are required. We never say no to sweets._   
_4\. Be on time. Lateness makes us wonder if you really like us._   
_5\. If we're staying in, it's customary to bring wine. Especially if we are cooking for you._   
_6\. Conversation during dinner is a must. You cannot get to know someone if you don't talk to them and ask questions._   
_7\. Dessert must come after dinner. No questions asked. And sharing is actually quite fun._   
_8\. After dinner activities include: a walk through Muggle London or a walk through the flower greenhouse at Hogwarts. These are only suggestions. We expect you to come up with creative activities for future dates._   
_9\. A good night kiss is required. It may be on the cheek, but on the lips would be best. Kissing skills are a must for dates._   
_10\. An owl the next day is a must – the owl mustn't be more than two days after the date or we will consider it a failure. It doesn't have to be a long wordy owl. I can simply say you had a great time and ask if you can see us again._

_I hope all of this helps you as you prepare tomorrow. And we are going for Chinese tomorrow. We'll discuss other food likes at dinner. So be prepared to talk my ears off – literally if you must._

_Hannah_

* * *

Hannah slept most of the day. But around noon, she was awakened by a tap on her window. She got out of bed and let the owl in and smiled at the rose and parchment attached to its foot.

She conjured a glass of water and put the rose in it before she plopped back down on the bed to read Neville's reply.

_You're not making this easy on me. I'll see you promptly at seven, flowers in hand._

_Neville_

Hannah laughed and held the letter to her chest as she laid back on the bed to stare at the ceiling. His letter was short and sweet and he'd even sent her a flower. She always knew boys could be taught to be romantic. And she was sure that Neville would have loads of dates once she was finished with him. But...where did that leave her in the scheme of things? Would he actually have the courage to ask her on a second date?

* * *

Hours later, Hannah sat on her bed writing in her diary. She did it when something big happened in her life so she could remember it. And she would remember her first date with Neville for a long time. Even if there wasn't a second one.

She closed the book and went to the bathroom to look at herself. She brushed her fingers over her eyebrows and smoothed her hair down. She hoped she looked pretty enough for a first date. It had been years since she'd had one.

The knock at the door startled her. She looked down at her watch and realized that it was promptly seven o'clock. Neville was right on time.

Hannah opened the door to find Neville standing awkwardly with a bouquet of flowers in his left hand. She smiled and invited him inside.

“The flowers are lovely,” she said, taking them from him so she could add them to the vase with the rose he'd sent. “Thank you. How was your night? I hope you didn't worry yourself too much over our date, did you?”

Neville scratched his ear and gave her a smile. He'd really tried not to think about it when he went to bed, but he laid awake for hours thinking about how he'd probably mess everything up and Hannah would throw a drink in his face and tell him he'd failed miserably and not to owl her again.

“Honestly?” he asked, wiping his sweaty hands off on his slacks, “I hardly slept. I don't want to muck anything up with us. We're mates, right?”

“I suppose we are,” Hannah smiled. “Give us a hug then?”

Neville laughed. Hannah never seemed anything more than cheerful and he liked that about her.

“So, just mates out on the town, right?” he said as he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a hug.

“If that makes you feel more comfortable, then yes,” she said as she pulled back from him. “But you're paying. Anything that happens after dinner is completely up to you.”

Neville nodded and awkwardly patted her arm. “We should go, yeah? You're probably starved like I am.”

“I'm famished,” Hannah said as she led him out of the room, locking the door behind them with her wand. “I had a light lunch around noon when I got your owl because I wanted to save room for everything tonight. I hardly ever get the chance to have Chinese even though there's a place just down the street. I suppose I work too much to think about anything else.”

Neville allowed her to go down the stairs ahead of him and he followed behind her.

Hannah buttoned up her jacket as they stepped out onto the street. She looped her arm through Neville's as they started off in the direction of the restaurant.

“So you really don't have much time to socialize then?” Neville asked as he walked beside her. Being with her was not as awkward as he thought it would be. It was almost comfortable, like being with old friends. And he did consider Hannah a friend.

“I have more time than I let on,” she admitted. “But I think it's more that I keep myself so busy that I don't have time to think about getting out and seeing my friends. Plus, most of them come in the Leaky anyway.”

“Then it's a good thing you're thinking about taking over for Tom,” he nodded. “You can give all of us discounts once you own the place.”

Hannah laughed. “Of course, but only if you're nice to me,” she added.

“Hey, I've always been nice to you,” he replied, trying to act insulted even though he enjoyed her teasing very much.

“You have, but there are a few who haven't,” she said as they neared the restaurant. “But at least some of them are trying to make up for it now. Gregory Goyle leaves me excellent tips when he comes in and Tracey Davis always asks how I'm doing when she pops in for dinner on Friday nights.”

“That's nice,” Neville said, opening the door for her. “The Slytherin class isn't half bad this year. They're actually socializing with other houses.”

“It's a miracle!” Hannah exclaimed as she walked in the door and told the hostess there were two of them. “Enjoy it while it lasts because I'm sure they'll be back to making snarky comments about everything in a few more weeks.”

Neville laughed as he followed her and the hostess to their booth. He and Hannah sat down and the hostess handed them menus and took their drink orders. He nodded his thanks and opened the menu.

“I think they've been told by their parents to be on their best behavior,” he said as he looked over the menu. “But I guess we'll see if they change their tune over the next few months. I hope not. It's actually nice not being the center of attention at Hogwarts this year.”

Hannah nodded, opening her own menu. “I guess it's kind of refreshing to be a teacher and not a student this year, yes?” she asked. “Does McGonagall still call you Longbottom? Or does she add the professor in front of it?”

Neville chuckled. “Yeah, I think it's going to take a while for her to get used to me as a teacher and not a student.”

* * *

Over the next hour, Hannah and Neville talked about their lives and what had happened to them since they last saw each other at Hogwarts. There were no awkward silences and Hannah didn't want the night to end.

The waitress came with the check and Neville didn't hesitate in grabbing it. He'd actually had a good time so far with Hannah. It was easy to talk to her, the food was delicious and he hadn't looked at his watch once since they'd been together.

Hannah finished off her glass of wine and waited while Neville paid the bill. When he offered her a hand up, she smiled and took his hand as they headed toward the door.

Neville opened the door for her, letting go of her hand for a moment before taking it again once they were on the street.

“Where do you want to go next? Dessert or a walk?” he asked as they started down the street.

“A walk, definitely,” Hannah replied. “I'm so full right now, I think the buttons on my slacks might pop off.”

Neville laughed. “That's not something the public needs to see, Han,” he teased as he pulled her around the corner of a building into a deserted alleyway.

“Where are we going?” she asked, letting herself be pulled along after him.

“You mentioned seeing the flower greenhouse at Hogwarts,” he said as he stopped in the darkness. “I've planted a lot of new things that I really want to show someone. Since Sprout left, it's become my personal greenhouse, so to speak. There are some really unique flowers there too and loads of colors. I think I've got every shade of rose there is.”

Hannah grinned, reaching out to find his other hand in the darkness. “I'd love to see it, Neville,” she said.

Without another word, Neville Apparated them to Hogwarts, just outside the boundaries. He took her hand, passing through the wards so he could take her to the greenhouses. It was quiet, but Neville could hear laughter coming from the Gryffindor dorms. He thought fondly of the nights when he and the other boys would stay up and eat candy from Fred and George's shop. The good memories definitely out weighed the bad.

“It's still beautiful here,” Hannah commented as she followed Neville, still holding onto one of his hands. “I hate to admit it, but I do miss this place sometimes.”

“Yeah,” Neville said as he pulled out his wand to unlock the greenhouse. “I think we all had good times here. Now, close your eyes and don't peek.”

Hannah laughed and released his hands so she could cover her eyes. Neville moved behind her so he could guide her into the warmth of the greenhouse. He tentatively placed his hands on her hips as he urged her forward.

“Just a little further,” he said, letting go for a moment to close the door behind them. He placed his hands on her hips again and moved her to stand in front of a beautiful yellow and red orchid before he spoke again. “Open.”

“Oh! Neville it's beautiful in here,” she exclaimed, looking first in front of her at the multi-colored orchids and then at the rest of the room. There were so many flowers and they were all in full bloom. Hannah didn't even know what to say or how to describe what she was seeing. The colors swirled on some of the flowers and some changed colors every few seconds. It was truly amazing and she was glad Neville had decided to share this place with her.

“I'm glad you like it,” he whispered in her ear. “I've been meaning to ask Professor McGonagall to come see it because Professor Sprout did most of it before she left.”

“It's really amazing,” Hannah said as she turned to face him. They were close now – face to face and Hannah couldn't help but reach up and brush her fingers through Neville's wild hair.

Neville felt his heart skip a beat at the touch of Hannah's fingers in his hair. He'd never let anyone touch him like this – it was almost a motherly touch and he knew that's what it would feel like if his mother could touch him. He held still as her fingers brushed against his scalp. It was nice.

She couldn't stop her fingers as they moved from Neville's hair down to brush against the stubble on his cheek. Her fingers lingered on the scar on his cheek that the Carrows had given him in their seventh year. It was light enough now not to be noticed, but still her heart ached when she thought of what had happened that day. Her other hand moved to rest on his forearm as she looked up at him. He was different than he'd been in school. A little more confident in his abilities and he'd grown into a handsome young man, leaving behind any trace of his previous awkward appearance.

Before he could think better of it, Neville closed his eyes and pressed his lips gently against Hannah's. Her lips were soft and they opened eagerly to his kiss. He couldn't believe she wasn't slapping him or pushing him away. The evening was going much better than he thought. It was a whim, kissing her before the night was over, but he'd been staring at her lips all during dinner. And he wondered if they were as soft as they looked.

Hannah was surprised by the kiss, but she closed her eyes and twinned her arms around Neville's neck as she kissed him back. It was nice to be kissed again even though she was sure Neville lacked experience in that area. He didn't show it though as he pulled her closer.

Neville's head whirled as the floral scents of the greenhouse mixed with Hannah's unique smell. It was as if his brain couldn't figure out what he was doing.

Her hands moved to thread into Neville's hair, letting the soft tresses curl around her fingers as she deepened the kiss. She definitely hadn't planned on giving him snogging lessons tonight.

Neville smiled as he pulled back to look at her. He brushed his thumb over her lower lip and tried to bring the room back into focus.

“Sorry, I couldn't wait until the end of the night,” he whispered, waiting for her reaction.

“It's quite all right,” Hannah said, breathlessly. “I didn't think you'd do it at all. You're catching on quick, Mr. Longbottom.”

“You're a good teacher, Miss Abbott,” he grinned, taking her hand. “Come on, let's walk and I'll show you a few of my favorites.”

* * *

It was well after midnight when she and Neville finally made it back to the Leaky Cauldron. The bar had just closed, so Hannah used the side entrance to go up to her room. Neville was quiet as they walked up the stairs and stopped at her room. It had been a wonderful night and she hated that it had to end.

A smile hung on Hannah's lips as she turned to face him, the door open at her back. “I had a great time, Neville,” she said, reaching up to caress his cheek. “I hope you did too.”

Neville nodded, a smile coming to his lips as she touched him. “There's no hoping about it, Hannah,” he said, leaning down to kiss her for the second time that night. "I really enjoyed being with you."

The kiss was brief, but sweet and Hannah couldn't stop smiling.

“You'll owl me later, then?”

“Absolutely,” Neville replied. “G'night, Hannah.”

“Good night,” she whispered as she watched him leave.

Hannah entered her room and closed the door behind her. She leaned back against it and brushed her fingers over her lips. Neville had kissed her twice. And she hadn't had to do anything to entice him or tempt him. He definitely had surprised her. It was a good first date and she hoped he would ask her on another when he sent her an owl in the morning.

She readied herself for bed and frowned when she heard a tap on the window. She walked out of the bathroom to see an owl perched on the ledge. She smiled to herself, knowing it was from Neville.

She untied the parchment and the yellow and red orchid from the owl's foot and opened the letter.

_Hannah,_

_Thank you for a lovely time this evening. I hope you have sweet dreams. Are you free this Friday night? I promise to come up with something fun to do for date number two. Please let me know._

_Neville_

_P.S. We forgot about dessert. But I promise to make it up to you if you'll meet me for lunch at The Three Broomsticks tomorrow._

Hannah's grin widened as she brushed her fingers over Neville's handwriting. He wanted to see her again. She felt so many strange feelings welling up inside her and it felt like she was tumbling head over heels. The feelings were nice and made her feel warm and safe. Was this why they called it falling in love? She really hoped so.


	2. Candles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannah decides to broach an uncomfortable subject with Neville.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter was actually a prompt that a friend gave me. I thought about adding a chapter before this to flush it out more, but I figure there will be plenty of cuteness to keep it going for a few chapters at least. Enjoy!

After a few months of dating Neville, Hannah knew she was falling in love with him. He was funny, sweet and brave. And he actually listened to her when she talked.

Ernie still hadn’t come around and Hannah feared that she’d lost her best friend. She had owled him several times, but no replies ever came back. And she’d even owled Justin, but he wouldn’t let on that anything was wrong with Ernie. After that, she’d given up. He'd talk to her when he was ready.

As Hannah readied herself for bed one night, she began to wonder what it would be like to have sex with Neville. He'd gotten rather good at kissing, but he was tentative about exploring things further. And Hannah understood. She didn't pressure him at all. But she began to wonder if he had questions about what to do. They'd never really discussed it. So, she made a mental note to bring it up on their next date.

* * *

When Neville came to pick her up on Friday for their date, Hannah asked him to come in for a moment. She'd spent the morning writing out a list of dos and don'ts for sexual situations so she could share them with him. She wasn't about to owl him the list. He might actually read it while he was at the staff table and she didn't want him to choke on his food if he opened it then.

“So, I wanted to talk to you about something,” she began as the pulled him down to sit beside her on her bed.

Neville looked at the bed a little nervously. He had a good idea of what Hannah wanted to bring up, but he said nothing as he waited for her to continue.

Hannah bit her bottom lip as she struggled to find the words she wanted to say. _This is going to be harder than I thought_ she said to herself.

“Well, we haven't really talked about...sex,” she began, her face heating up at the topic of conversation. “And I thought I'd bring it up in case you have questions or concerns.”

Of course Neville had often thought about sex with Hannah, she was his girlfriend after all. But he wasn't about to bring up the fact that he didn't know what he was doing. So he'd waited in hopes that she might bring it up – being the teacher in this relationship and all.

“Er, to be honest, I wouldn't know what to ask,” he replied, a flush spreading over his cheeks. “I mean, I know how babies are made. I'm not that thick.”

Hannah laughed. Neville always put things in such unique ways. “I assumed you'd been informed of that, yes,” she teased. “Honestly, I don't think there's a right or wrong way. And I'm not saying that from experience, because I don't have very much.”

“Did you and Macmillan ever...?” he trailed off, waiting for her confirmation.

“Sadly, yes,” she said, wincing slightly. “It happened a few days before the battle. I knew the end was coming and Ernie didn't want to wait, so we did it. And it wasn't mind-blowing or anything.”

Neville nodded. He didn't expect her to be his alone, but it would've been nice to go into this together. “So you're saying I don't have much to live up to?”

Hannah laughed. “I didn't say that, but I'm sure you'll do much better,” she said. “I think communication is key to things working out.”

Neville considered that piece of information for a moment and then nodded. “I suppose you're right,” he said. “Any other tips on the subject?”

“Well, flowers and candles are nice,” she said. “But it's not a must. It should be special, given it's your first time and well, it'll be our first time together.”

“You don't want to have sex right now, right?” Neville asked, his face a brighter shade of red than it was a few moments ago.

“NO!” Hannah said, a little louder than she meant to. “I mean, you can plan for it if you want, but no, we don't have to do it tonight.”

“Fair enough,” Neville said, taking her hand. “Tomorrow night, I'll have something planned. But for now, let's go eat. I'm starved and I told you we'd catch a late film if you wanted.”

Hannah grinned as Neville pulled her off the bed and pulled her into his arms. He gave her a soft kiss and pulled her toward the door.

* * *

Hannah had to admit she was nervous. Her first time with Ernie really hadn't been special at all. It was...awkward even though they'd touched many times before. And neither of them knew what they were doing. But now, she _wanted_ to be with Neville because she loved him. And she was quite sure it would be different because of how they both felt for each other.

She had taken the day shift with Tom while Michael had agreed to take the night shift for her so she could enjoy her weekend. It was a rare thing, but Hannah was glad she'd asked him to do it for her.

It was nearing five o'clock when Hannah saw Anthony and Terry come in. She silently prayed Anthony didn't see her, but alas he did. And he grinned widely, motioning her over to their table.

She left the bar and went over to take their orders before she left to get ready for her night with Neville.

“Hannah, my love,” Anthony greeted as he slapped her on the arse. “We'll have the usual. And naturally, I have to ask, will you go out with me tomorrow night?”

Hannah made a face at him before she removed his hand. “The answer, as always is no, Anthony,” she replied. “Besides, I'm seeing someone. I've already told you this a million times.”

“Oh, come on, Han,” he pouted. “You know I'm better than Macmillian.”

“I'm not seeing Ernie,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “And it's none of your business who I'm seeing. I don't want rumors floating around because it's off to a good start.”

Anthony sighed heavily and tried to make a slap at her arse again, but his hand was caught before he could make contact. Hannah turned around to find Neville standing there, holding Anthony's wrist in a tight grip.

“If you want to keep your hand, Goldstein, I suggest you stop slapping my girlfriend's arse,” he said, giving him a hard stare.

Anthony wisely held up his other hand in surrender. “Sorry, mate, didn't know she was yours,” he replied, rubbing his wrist as Neville let it go.

Hannah quickly made her escape back behind the bar to put in the order and pass it off to Michael who had already come through the door.

“Thanks for the rescue,” Hannah said, giving Neville a kiss on the cheek. “You have excellent timing, love. I thought he was going to pull me into his lap this time.”

“Let him try it and he'll get a black eye,” Neville replied with a scowl. “He still might get one if he doesn't stop staring at us.”

“Come on,” she said, tugging him toward the stairs. “We have far more important things to do than you bruising your hand.”

Neville willingly followed behind her and smiled to himself. Years ago he wouldn't have done that, but now he didn't hesitate. And he especially took offense to anyone who tried to hurt Hannah – no matter how it was meant.

Once they were safely inside of her room without an audience, Hannah wrapped her arms around Neville and kissed him fully. True, she needed a shower, but she wanted to kiss her hero. That's exactly how she thought of Neville – he was her hero in so many ways.

Neville was still surprised by Hannah's eagerness to kiss him. And it was true that she kissed him more often than he kissed her. But he liked to think he was getting better at it.

Hannah pulled back and looked up at Neville, her hands brushing the stubble on his cheeks. “How about I go take a shower and I'll leave you to do whatever you have planned?”

Neville nodded and watched as Hannah left for the bathroom. He looked around the room and hoped he could pull it off while she was gone. And that at the end of the night she wouldn't be disappointed in him.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Hannah came out of the bathroom in her silk bathrobe, running her fingers through her damp hair. Her mouth widened into a big “oh” as she noticed the room was full of candles. Her eyes moved to the bed, where there were bunch of red roses placed in the middle. And Neville stood at the end of the bed holding the same color orchid that he'd given her on their first date.

“How's this?” he grinned, beckoning her to come over to him.

“It's wonderful,” Hannah whispered as accepted the flower and gave him a soft kiss. “Thank you.”

Hannah gathered the roses from the bed and put them and the orchid into the vase she always had waiting. Neville was quite good about sending her flowers or giving them to her when she least expected them.

Now that the time had come, Neville found himself getting even more nervous. He knew that Hannah had nothing on under her robe and his fingers were itching to take it off of her.

Hannah moistened her bottom lip as she made her way back over to Neville. She was quite sure he was more nervous than she was and she wanted to ease him into it. She took his hands and led them to the belt of her robe.

“Take it off,” she encouraged as she started to unbuckle his belt and undo his trousers.

Neville swallowed at the motion of Hannah's hands so near his cock. It immediately swelled and strained against his pants. He took a deep breath and focused on the task at hand. He tugged the belt of her robe open and sucked in a breath as he caught sight of the small sliver of skin that showed between the gaps.

Hannah quickly shoved Neville's pants down his legs and patiently waited for him to pull the robe off her body. There were lots of things to explore, but the first time wasn't the time for that.

With shaky fingers, Neville took the collar of her robe and pushed it down her arms, his eyes following as the robe fell to the floor. He held his breath as he looked at her fully naked for the first time. She was so beautiful and perfect and Neville couldn't help but feel lucky that he'd found her.

Hannah stepped away from him long enough to bend down and remove his shoes, socks and pants before she stood up in front of him again. She quickly removed his shirt and ran her fingertips lightly through the hairs on his chest.

“Still nervous?” she asked as she looked up at him.

He nodded.

“Let's get comfortable,” she said, pulling him toward the bed. “And take off your boxers.”

Neville quickly did as he was told and quickly climbed on the bed beside her. His eyes moved from the top of her head to the tip of her toes, taking in everything he'd dreamed about.

“Han -” Neville began, but he was cut off as she kissed him and pulled him up against her.

Hannah knew they should be talking about what they were going to do next, but she couldn't help herself. She needed to kiss him. Her heart was racing and she felt hot. She'd never felt like this before. It was intoxicating.

Neville responded and tentatively cupped her bare breast, his thumb brushing against her nipple. She groaned against his mouth and he stopped the motion.

“That was a good groan,” Hannah said as she pulled back to look at him. “If I don't pull away and stop you, keep going.”

He nodded and began kissing her again, his hand moving back to cup her breast. It was a new sensation, touching her bare skin, but he was quickly learning how good it felt – for her and for him. He was already hard and ready for her.

Neville's fingers left her breast and made their way down to the apex of her legs, where he knew his cock would soon be – buried deep inside her. He wanted to know what it felt like to be inside someone – to be one together. His fingers brushed against her opening, the little hairs tickling his fingers. He moved his fingers further and found her clit, his fingers brushing lightly against it and then finally parting it and pushing in.

Hannah panted softly as Neville's lips left hers. She moved her hand down to guide him to the right spot.

“There,” she said as she pressed his finger against her g-spot. “Wiggle your fingers against that spot. Just two of them.”

Neville did as he was told and watched as her mouth opened and she began to writhe against him. She moved her leg to drape it over his as she moved his fingers again to push inside of her.

She let out a louder groan and was glad that she'd put up silencing spells earlier. “Push them in and out,” she instructed.

Neville could feel the silky wetness coating his fingers and he closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her pressed so closely against him.

His erection was pushing against her belly as she moved her hips in time with the motion of his fingers. Hannah wanted to come so badly, but she knew it would be better if she didn't. So she stilled his hand and pushed him to his back.

She moved to straddle him, his cock brushing against her entrance. She leaned down and kissed him fully. Her lips moved down his jaw to his neck as she slid down his body to cup him in her hand. She stroked him for a moment before she slid back up his legs to straddle him once more.

“I'm going to need you to help me,” she whispered. “You'll have to guide yourself in while I sink down on you.”

Neville swallowed hard as he realized this was it. There was no turning back. And he didn't want to. He desperately wanted Hannah with everything in him. He nodded, wrapping his hand around his erection as he brushed it against her wetness to find the hole he had felt before.

Once the tip was in, Hannah sank down on Neville's cock with a loud moan. She stopped once he was fully inside her, letting him get used to her tight heat.

“Gods,” Neville panted as his hands moved to grip her hips.

Hannah smiled down at him as she slowly began to move her hips on him. He quickly caught on to the motion and matched her slow strokes.

They moved in time with each other. And Hannah pulled one of his hands to cup her breast and the other to brush against her clit.

“Move your thumbs in time with our thrusts,” she panted as she started to quicken the pace.

Neville couldn't think. All he could do was move. He felt his cock start to tighten as it did before he came. And it felt like heaven – being wrapped in the warmth of Hannah's body.

Hannah felt herself getting closer, the full thickness of Neville's erection moving inside her at a frantic pace, searching for release. She cried out as her walls clinched around him and she felt him come inside her.

Neville let out a groan as his release shuddered through him. He pulled her lips to his, kissing her softly. He'd never felt something so amazing in his life.

She rested her head against his shoulder, slowly coming down from the high of their lovemaking. It was so much better than she'd ever dreamed. And she couldn't wait to do it again.

 

* * *

Two hours later, Hannah woke to find Neville still curled up to her back with his arms around her waist and his thigh nestled between her legs. Her stomach growled loudly, begging to be fed so she shifted in his arms to discover his eyes on her. She smiled softly and gave him a quick kiss before she started to leave the bed.

“Where are you going?” he asked as he tugged her back against him, brushing her hair from her face.

“I'm starved,” she said. “I was going to get us some take away and come right back.”

“Promise?”

“I promise,” she replied, kissing him before she left for the bathroom to dress.

* * *

Thirty minutes later, Hannah returned with a bag of Chinese food from the place where they'd had their first date. Neville had put on his boxers and slacks, but he'd left the rest of his clothes discarded on the floor.

“Decided not to get dressed?” she laughed as she saw him laying on the bed with one of her old Herbology texts.

“Yeah, I couldn't go back to sleep, so I found this on your desk,” he said, getting up to take the bag from her. “I hope you don't mind.”

“Of course not,” she smiled as they made their way into her small kitchen. “I hadn't read it in ages, so I took it out last night. At this point I don't have much use for it, but I've been thinking that I might like to be a healer. So, I'd need to refresh my memory on herbs and charms.”

Neville nodded as he started pulling the food out of the bag. “You'd really give up the Leaky Cauldron to be a healer?”

“I think so, yes,” she replied as she pulled down glasses and plates from the cabinet. “I don't want to be a barmaid forever.”

Neville came over to get the plates and the silverware she'd just put on top of them while she poured them both something to drink. “I never really expected you to be,” he said as he set their places at the table. “I imagine you're getting rather tired of the arse slaps and pick-up lines after the past two years.”

Hannah laughed as she joined him at the table with their drinks. “I can handle it,” she assured him. “But I know you won't be able to handle it – the evidence being today's hero save.”

“Hey, I was just looking out for you.”

“Oh, I know, but you do realize that I can take care of myself. I've been doing it for a very long time.”

“I know you can,” Neville replied with a sigh as he started putting rice on his plate. “Wait – we're not having a row over this _now_ are we?”

“No, Neville,” she replied as she piled beef and broccoli onto her plate. “We aren't.”

Neville let out the breath he had been holding while he waited on her answer. “Good,” he said. “But know if I catch Goldstein's hand on your arse again, he'll be missing a few fingers.”


	3. Christmas Cheer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holiday plans and the L word. Neville isn't sure what his Gran will do once she meets his girlfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had a good bit of inspiration recently. But I don't know if the next one will be so easy. If you have suggestions, please let me know! <3

Neville spent all of his spare time with Hannah when he could. She often visited with him in his office or in the greenhouses when she wasn't working. They fell into an easy routine for the weekends. He would bring his paperwork with him to her apartment and work on it while she was at work. Sometimes she'd cook him dinner and sometimes they would venture out into Muggle London. 

One afternoon, in late December, Hannah was sitting by the fireplace in his office, reading _Gorshawk's Guide to Herbology_. She'd finally relented to reading it after Neville suggested it could help her decide about taking the Healer Training courses at St. Mungo's. She had to admit, it was sort of interesting. She'd never really taken Herbology seriously during school, but somehow she'd still gotten decent marks. 

“What are your holiday plans?” Neville asked from his desk, pulling her back to reality. 

Hannah shrugged, placing her finger in the book to mark her place. “Not sure actually,” she replied. “Do you have plans?”

Neville frowned slightly, looking down at a particularly horrible essay on the uses of gillyweed. “Well, Gran's asked if I'm coming home for the holidays and she's asked if you'd be joining us for Christmas dinner,” he replied as he looked up for her reaction.

“You'd want me to meet your Gran for the first time on Christmas?” 

“Er...if you want to,” he said. “I mean if you have plans with your dad, I completely understand. But she's asked several times when she was going to meet my new 'lady friend'.”

“Oh no, Dad's always busy with work,” she reminded him. Tristan Abbott was a Hit Wizard for the Auror's office and he was incredibly good at his job. But of course, Neville knew this because he'd worked as an Auror for a short time before taking up his current post at Hogwarts.

“Still?” Neville asked, brow furrowed. “I thought they'd rounded all of the Death Eaters up finally. Or that's what Harry told me last time I saw him.”

“He's still buried in paperwork from all of the raids and arrests,” Hannah said with a sigh. She'd hardly seen her father in the past few weeks. He'd had to catch up on months of paperwork before the trials started in January.

“Oh,” Neville said, having forgotten how much paperwork was involved in catching war criminals. He was much happier with the essays, tests and exams in front of him. It was less stressful and he couldn't muck it up.

“So, do you want to have Christmas dinner with me and Gran?”

“You know I'd be delighted to meet your grandmother, Neville,” Hannah said as she sat her book aside and went over to sit on the edge of his desk. It was something she did when he needed a break from staring at papers.

“Are you sure?” he asked, turning in his chair so he could look at her, his hand touching her knee. “She can be sort of demanding. She's not quite so strict as she used to be, but I think she sometimes still sees me as a forgetful, clumsy, little boy.”

“You know that's not true,” Hannah said, placing her hand over his. “She's quite proud of you. I've read all of the _Prophet_ articles after the war and what she said about you to the press. Not to mention the fact that I saw her fighting during the battle.”

Neville sighed. He'd read the same articles but no matter how many times his Gran told him how proud of him she was, he still couldn't believe it. He supposed it was because of all the times she'd told him to “uphold the family honor.” And he had. He'd stood up to Voldemort and protected his friends. He'd worn his scars proudly as he and Ginny led Dumbledore's Army to defy Snape and the Carrows. He did it without a thought because he knew Harry needed the support of his friends no matter where he was.

Hannah slid off the desk and moved to sit in his lap, putting her arms around his neck and her head on his shoulder. She knew he thought about the past, even now. It haunted them all. There were even times when she thought about Cedric – and how the fight against the Dark Lord had started. 

Neville wrapped his arms around her, holding her safe and tight in his arms. “I know,” he said after a while. “It's still hard to live up to, I guess.”

She cupped his face in her hands and looked at him, her fingers brushing against the scar on his cheek. “You do live up to it, Neville. You're a hero just as much as the rest of them.”

Neville's cheeks and ears turned red at her words. She often said he was _her_ hero, but when she said things like this – that he was a war hero – he felt slightly embarrassed. Of course, the Ministry of Magic had awarded him with the Order of Merlin, third class for his bravery. But he hardly ever spoke of it to anyone.

“So, you're going to your Gran's for the holidays,” she said, resting her head back on his shoulder as she played with the curls in his hair. “Do you think you could maybe come spend a night or two with me during that time?”

Neville reddened even more if that was possible. He'd stayed a few times with her over the weekends after late night conversations ended with them tangled together in her bed. He'd gotten better at initiating their sexual liaisons, kissing her until they were both dizzy. But he still seemed embarrassed to talk about them in private. Hannah supposed he'd always be like that, but it was part of his charm.

He was well past the point of being “of age” but he wasn't sure what his grandmother would think of him spending the night with his girlfriend. He supposed he didn't have to tell her, but it would be disrespectful if he didn't. He'd cross that bridge when he got to it next week.

“Maybe,” he replied, non-committally. “I'm not sure what Gran will think of it, but I guess I could tell her that I'm going to stay at the Leaky Cauldron for a few days to catch up with friends before I go home. I wouldn't exactly be a lie. I'm sure I could convince Harry, Ron and Hermione and a few of the others to stop by and have dinner or lunch one day.”

Hannah knew Neville kept in contact with his Gryffindor friends and she'd even seen them a few times over the years when they dropped into have a drink or lunch. She didn't mind sharing him with them simply because she knew most of them were paired off – Harry with Ginny, Ron with Hermione. But she worried about Neville's closeness with Luna Lovegood. She heard rumours that the two had been close but they never dated as far as she knew. She secretly wondered if they had ever snogged. She couldn't bring herself to ask – it was in the past and she was determined to keep it there.

“I think that's a fine idea,” Hannah smiled. “It's been a long time since I've seen any of them, especially Harry. I'll owl Justin and see if he wants to come round, but I know Ernie won't show his face. I still haven't heard from him since we started dating. I'm sure Justin has told him by now.”

“You mean he's still sore over you breaking his heart?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “I didn't want to lead him on anymore.”

Neville considered what she said with a frown. “You're not...well I know you're not, but I feel the need to ask anyway. You're not leading me on too, are you?”

Hannah pulled back with a shocked expression on her face. She never thought he'd ask something like that. But she supposed he had his reasons.

“Of course not!” she said, a hurt look on her face. “Neville, I love you.”

Neville's eyes widened slightly before he relaxed and leaned up to kiss her. It was the first time she'd actually said it. And he found that he liked hearing the words come from her lips.

“I love you, too,” he whispered.

* * *

Hannah was excited when she woke up on Christmas morning. She'd already had a good holiday so far with Neville. He'd stayed at the Leaky Cauldron for a few days before going to his grandmother's. They'd met with friends and had lunch and she even had Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione over to her apartment for dinner.

She'd done her Christmas shopping while he'd gone out with Dean and Seamus, the Saturday before Christmas. She didn't even bother asking what they'd been up to because he'd come back a little more relaxed than usual. And she could smell the firewhiskey on his breath. She was glad he'd had a good time, but she couldn't help but wonder why his friends had gotten him sloshed. Maybe he was thinking about breaking up with her. No, that couldn't be it. They'd just recently said “I love you” and she knew how he felt about her. It was obvious by the way he kissed her and how he sent her flowers from his personal greenhouse every chance he got.

Hannah had just finished wrapping the gifts she'd gotten for Neville and his grandmother when she heard him knock.

“Come in,” she called, stacking the packages on her desk before she moved to grab her coat and scarf. 

Hannah was dressed in a red, tea length pencil skirt with a hand knitted Christmas sweater over the top of a white shirt. She looked lovely with her blonde hair curled elegantly around her face. Neville couldn't keep his eyes off of her as she shrugged on her coat and put her scarf around her neck.

“You're staring,” she grinned, pulling him back to reality.

“Oh, sorry,” he blushed. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you,” she said, grabbing the presents before giving him a soft kiss. “Ready to face the demanding questions?”

Neville laughed. He'd already been peppered with questions once he arrived at her house. She'd plainly asked him what his intentions were with this girl and he'd promptly told her that he intended on marrying Hannah if she would have him. Of course, his grandmother couldn't have been more shocked if he'd come in and announced that he'd won _The Daily Prophet_ grand prize drawing. He'd never showed much interest in girls before and she was surprised that the first girl he got serious with was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. After the shock wore off, his Gran insisted on giving him her engagement ring. It was hundreds of years old and extremely beautiful. The middle stone, a yellow topaz, was emerald cut with a halo of small diamonds around it and the band and setting were gold. Neville had refused to take it, but in the end, his grandmother had shoved it into his hand. Hannah would treasure it and he wouldn't have to spend a sickle on one himself.

“Not really,” he replied. “Come on, she's expecting us.” With one last quick kiss, they Apparated away.

* * *

Neville wouldn't admit it, but he was nervous about Hannah meeting his grandmother. Augusta Longbottom was a stern old woman with an odd fashion sense. Thankfully, for Neville's sake, she'd swapped her usual hat with a stuffed vulture on it for a sprig of mistletoe. She spent most of her time socializing and playing Wizarding Bridge – which she played with a group of ladies twice a week. Neville was glad she had friends so he wouldn't be so worried about her. He knew she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, but at her advanced age, he constantly worried about her falling and breaking something when no one was with her.

“Oh good! You're both here!” Augusta exclaimed as Neville and Hannah walked through the kitchen door, brushing the freshly fallen snow off their feet. 

Augusta shuffled from her spot at the stove to greet Hannah with a warm hug. Neville was surprised, but he knew he shouldn't have been. He'd gushed to his Gran in all of his letters to her about Hannah and had talked about his girlfriend non-stop since he'd returned for the holidays. 

“I'm so pleased to finally meet you,” Augusta said as she pulled back to look at Hannah. “You're just as beautiful as Neville said. Come, sit down and have a spot of tea. Dinner's almost ready.”

Hannah let go of Neville's hand and took a seat at the small kitchen table, handing Neville the gifts to set aside for later. She shrugged off her coat and pulled off her scarf. The kitchen was toasty warm and smelled wonderful. Hannah could smell roast turkey, roast potatoes, and rich nutty stuffing. She saw puddings, pies and Christmas crackers already laid out on the counter, waiting to be put on the table. It was definitely enough to feed a small army and as far as she knew, it was only to be the three of them. She was quite sure they'd be eating leftovers for days if not weeks.

“Thank you for having me, Mrs. Longbottom,” she said as she watched Augusta go back to her cooking. “Do you need any help with anything?”

“Oh no, dear,” she smiled, stirring a pot of brussels sprouts and chestnuts. “I've done this for many years and I've got it down quite nicely. And please, call me Augusta.”

Hannah smiled as Neville took a seat beside her. He'd slipped off his coat, hat and scarf and had taken hers to hang up on the old coat rack beside the door. He'd poured them both a cup of tea, putting exactly the right amount of cream and sugar in hers. He'd learned that within the first month they were together.

During dinner, they chatted about Neville's students and his visit with his friends. What Neville had thought would be an awkward evening was turning out to be quite enjoyable. His grandmother wasn't asking _too_ may questions of Hannah and he felt like he might actually survive the night.

“So, Hannah, I understand you might be interested in starting Healer training,” Augusta said as she handed out their plates with plum pudding and chocolate pie. Her sprig of mistletoe was barely visible behind the pink paper crown she wore from the Christmas cracker pack she and Neville had opened. 

“Yes, I'm considering it,” Hannah replied as Neville hid his reddening face. “I can't call the Leaky Cauldron home forever. But still, it might be a way's off. I don't know how long the training courses are yet and Tom's been ill recently. I think he's more than motivated to give up the Leaky to me in the coming months.”

“Do you think you could run the place and take the training courses?” Augusta asked and Neville tried to sink lower in his chair. At least they'd gotten to dessert before she'd started asking questions about Hannah's career.

“I suppose I could,” she replied, politely. “As long as I can find a few good managers to help me run the place, I don't see why I couldn't take one or two classes to start.”

“You're a very determined young lady, Hannah,” Augusta said. “I like that. I used to want to be a dressmaker, but I married Neville's grandfather and we had Frank a year later. Then there never seemed to be time for anything else besides raising our son. And then of course, I ended up with Neville after what that horrible bitch and her fellows did to his parents. Mind you, I've never regretted it – taking him in. I wouldn't have had it any other way.”

Hannah could see that Neville was turning even more red from embarrassment as he tucked into his plate of pudding. “Gran,” he groaned.

Augusta ignored him and continued on. “We thought he'd be a Squib when he was younger, but thankfully his Uncle Algie made him show us his magical ability. I was overjoyed when he bounced once Algie had dropped him out of the top window. And I've never been more proud of him than I was when he stood up to You-Know-Who.”

Hannah shook her head and smiled. She knew all of the stories about Neville and his magic and about how his parents had been cursed to live out their lives at St. Mungo's. She wondered if she'd ever meet them, but that was up to Neville. 

“Gran,” Neville said, coughing. “Hannah knows all of this already. You don't have to remind us how awkward I was as a child.”

“Oh pish posh,” Augusta said, waving her hand at her grandson. “If she knows and loves you anyway, then that's more reason for you two to get married and have a family. You do want a large family, don't you Hannah?”

Hannah blushed at the thought of what she and Neville had done the afternoon before. They hadn't really discussed having children yet. She knew she wanted them – at least two, if not more because she'd grown up an only child. She guessed Neville felt the same but apparently he wanted more – three at the least.

“I hadn't really talked with Neville about it,” she replied between bites of pudding. “But yes, I'd like a family with at least two children.”

“Perfect!” Augusta exclaimed. “I'm so looking forward to meeting my great grands in the future. I know Neville hasn't proposed yet but I know he will.”

“Gran!” Neville practically shouted. 

“There's no need to keep it a secret! She knows you fancy her, dear boy,” Augusta snorted. “But really, you should do some planning on how to do it.”

Neville groaned. He'd already sorted it out with Seamus and Dean, but he wasn't about to tell her that with Hannah sitting there too. 

“Don't worry, Augusta,” Hannah grinned. “I'm sure Neville has it well in hand.”

* * *

Hours later, Neville and Hannah Apparated back to her apartment, having exchanged their gifts with Augusta. Neville had gotten socks and a new jumper from his gran and Hannah had given him a signed copy of Pomona Sprout's new Herbology book, _Herbology: The Delights of Digging in the Dirt_. He'd been meaning to purchase it, but he'd held off and it was lucky he had because the inside cover held a special message for him from his old professor. Hannah had given Augusta a lovely new hat with a stuffed rabbit on top. She was delighted when she saw it and gave Hannah a tight hug. Augusta hadn't forgotten Hannah, of course. She'd given her a beautiful antique necklace – it was a beautiful yellow topaz that was surely hundreds of years old. Neville had looked at it a little uncomfortably but had said nothing.

Neville knew now wasn't the time to pop the question to Hannah. He'd already planned it out for Valentine's day and he was determined to wait until then. It was only three more months.

“I guess I should say good night, Gran's expecting me back,” Neville said, holding her hands in his. He leaned over and kissed her softly before he turned to leave.

“I'll see you tomorrow for Boxing Day dinner, yeah?”

“I wouldn't miss it for the world,” Neville grinned as he Apparated away with a pop.


	4. A New Year's Proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New Year's Eve at the Leaky Cauldron. Drinking. A band. And Hannah helps a nervous Ron with a special plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter just sort of came out - I didn't have a clear idea of what I wanted to do, but I like how it came out. Enjoy! I hope the next one comes out as easily.

Boxing Day had been a bit of a lazy day despite having to work a portion of it. Hannah had helped with the lunch rush and was able to have a nice, private dinner with Neville in her apartment. She'd cooked a turkey and all of the trimmings and she was sure there would be leftovers for days. Hannah liked cooking – especially when she was able to cook for Neville. And he always enjoyed it when she did. He seemed to be fascinated with the way she moved around the kitchen with a fluid grace. It seemed she teased him so much while making dinner that he often dragged her away to her bedroom and they forgot about dinner entirely until their stomachs were grumbling.

 * * *

New Year's Eve night was a busy time for the Leaky Cauldron. It was always jam packed with witches and wizards, looking to ring in the new year with a few pints. Hannah had asked for the night off – since she had seniority, but unfortunately it was an “all hands on deck” kind of night. And she was not looking forward to it. She knew Anthony and Terry would be in, along with all kinds of other riffraff. She'd told Neville not to bother coming by unless he wanted to have a fist fight because of the patrons that were likely to be grabbing or slapping her arse.

“If I promise to keep my hands and wand to myself, will you allow me to come visit?”

“You know you won't be able to do that,” Hannah had insisted, giving him a stern look.

Neville sighed. She was right. He'd promised to remove Goldstein's fingers if he slapped her arse again. “Can I at least come get a kiss at midnight if I promise not to stay long?”

Hannah tried to hide her smile. She knew the meaning of a kiss at midnight – and she'd dreamed of doing it with someone she really loved. She supposed she couldn't begrudge him a drink and a kiss at the witching hour.

“Oh all right,” she conceded. “Be here at eleven thirty. No earlier. The crowd will probably be getting geared up by then. We're having The Flying Thestrals play again this year.”

Neville had nodded and given her a kiss before he popped back to his Gran's for dinner.

 * * *

Hannah had been running since she stepped foot into the Leaky Cauldron around six. She'd never seen so many of her friends and fellow DA members gathered in one place since the war. She had spoken to everyone – and had watched a very nervous Ron Weasley fiddling with something in his pocket. She smiled to herself, knowing what he was about to do. She wondered if he could use some pointers or a bit of help. And she reminded herself that she was Neville's teacher on the ways of dating and whatnot.

“Ron? Can I have a word?” she asked as she refilled his glass again. He was sitting at a table with Harry and Seamus, waiting for Hermione and Ginny to join them.

“Sure,” he replied, clearing his throat as he stood to follow her to the employees' break room.

Hannah gave him a gentle smile and put her hand on his arm. “You seem a bit nervous,” she said. “Is there anything I can do to help you with your plan?”

“Er...how'd you know? I mean, how could you tell? Is it _obvious_ what I'm going to do?”

“I saw you fiddling with the ring in your pocket,” she laughed. “But yes, to me it is. Do you have a plan or were you just going to do it at midnight?”

“Erm, yeah, that's it,” he flushed. “It's sort of lame, yeah?”

“Just a little bit,” Hannah replied. “But I've got a few suggestions if you're up for it.”

“Go on.”

“Well, I know the band pretty well, and they know a few Muggle songs,” she began. “And I just happen to know they did a song called “Marry Me” for a wedding. It would be perfect. They could dedicate the song to Hermione and you could propose that way. Of course, you'd have to get down on one knee when the song is over and ask her.”

Ron thought about this for a moment and then nodded. It was better than his plan. He was going to simply snog her at midnight and then ask her. Hannah's plan was a grand gesture that was sure to tell Hermione how he felt without him having to fumble over the words he wanted to say.

“Excellent!” Hannah grinned. “I'll set it up as soon as they've arrived. And I'll send over a bottle of our best wine for you to celebrate after. My treat.”

“Thanks, Hannah,” Ron said, giving her hand a squeeze. “You know, Neville's lucky to have someone like you. I hope you're as happy and Hermione and I are.”

“We are,” Hannah replied. “He'll be along later. I had to make him promise to come closer to midnight so he wouldn't get into a fight with some of the patrons. It's a wild crowd tonight. I'll come round later and let you know the plan's in play, all right?”

Ron nodded and returned to his friends, who started badgering him with questions. Ron wouldn't answer – he simply told them it was going to be a night to remember.

 * * *

Hannah immediately cornered Theodore Nott as soon as he came in. He was an unusual sort of wizard and she liked him, despite the fact he'd been in Slytherin. He was always friendly with her and she could count on him when she needed a favor for one of the patrons, like she did now. She quickly explained the situation and they went over the details of what he'd need to say and when he would need to do the song – just after midnight once everyone had sung “Auld Lang Syne.” She promised him and his band mates a hot plate of food after midnight with a special bottle of firewhiskey and he gave her a grin and a quick kiss on both cheeks before they got ready to take the stage.

Hannah went to check on Ron, Harry and Seamus and saw that Hermione and Ginny had finally arrived. She said hello to them and bent down to whisper in Ron's ear that the plan was a go. He simply nodded and nervously took a long drink of his butter beer.

“Does anyone need anything while I'm here?” Hannah asked.

“I'll have a glass of wine,” Hermione said. “Are you still serving dinner?”

“Yes, I can put an order in for you. What would you like?”

Hermione placed her order and Hannah rushed to the kitchen to get it in. The past few hours had already flown by in a blur. She hoped the rest of the night would go so smoothly.

 * * *

At eleven thirty, Neville appeared and Hannah was glad to see him. She'd been busy, but she hadn't forgotten he was going to show up. He was dressed in a green jumper with black slacks. His hair was still wet from his shower and it was slicked back from his face. It was already starting to curl in the back and wave in the front. She thought he looked extremely handsome.

“Hi,” she grinned as she wiped off her hands on her apron. “You made it.”

“Yeah,” he said, giving her a tight hug and a quick kiss. “Is it usually this crowded on New Year's Eve?”

“Oh yes, especially when we have a band in house, like we did last year,” she said. It was getting noisy as it was nearing midnight. The band had just stepped off the stage to have a few drinks with friends before midnight stuck.

“Has Goldstein been slapping your arse tonight?” he asked, having spotted the former Ravenclaw and his mates as soon as he Apparated in.

“Actually, he's been on his best behavior,” Hannah laughed. “I think you might have put the fear of Merlin into him last time.”

“Good to know,” Neville grinned, giving her another quick kiss. “I'll go find a seat and I'll let you get back to work.”

“Oh! By the way, Harry, Ron, Hermone, Ginny and Seamus have a table. I think they've saved a seat for you,” she said. “And Ron's proposing to Hermione tonight. I helped him out a bit. Just thought you should know so you're not floored when it happens.”

Neville laughed. He'd known about the proposal for weeks now. But he was glad his girlfriend had helped out. Ron's plan was abysmal, but Neville didn't say anything because he didn't have a better one himself.

“I already know about it,” Neville said. “But thanks for helping him. You're brilliant.”

Hannah beamed as she watched Neville join his friends. This was going to be a great night.

 * * *

Hannah sat down on Neville's knee, five minutes before midnight. Ron had downed two shots of firewhiskey in preparation of what was soon to take place. Hermione was a little concerned, but she didn't say anything even though Hannah could tell she wanted to.

The band returned to the stage a minute till, casting a charm to show the count down to the audience. As the countdown neared it's conclusion, Neville wrapped his arms tightly around Hannah and pulled her close.

“I love you, Han,” he whispered.

“I love you too.”

Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.

“Happy New Year!”

The shouts rang out throughout the Leaky Cauldron and couples could be seen snogging all over the place. Hannah didn't hesitate when Neville pulled her in for a kiss. She kissed him deeply, letting her tongue brush against his in a promise of what would happen later when they made it upstairs.

Then the singing started. Everyone joined in.

_Should old acquaintance be forgot,_  
_and never brought to mind?_  
_Should old acquaintance be forgot,_  
_and old lang syne?_  
_For auld lang syne, my dear,_  
_for auld lang syne,_  
_we'll take a cup of kindness yet,_  
_for auld lang syne._

“This next song, is a very special request,” Theo said as he and the band began to play the first few notes of the song. “This goes out to Hermione Granger from Ron Weasley. We hope you all enjoy it.”

Theo began to sing and Hermione's hands flew to cover her lips as she stared at Ron. Ron's face was bright red, but he said nothing as he reached to grab one of her hands.

_A hundred and five is the number that comes to my head_  
_When I think of all the years I wanna be with you_  
_Wake up every morning with you in my bed_  
_That's precisely what I plan to do_

_And you know one of these days when I get my money right_  
_Buy you everything and show you all the finer things in life_  
_We'll forever be in love, so there ain't no need to rush_  
_But one day I won't be able to ask you loud enough_

**[Chorus]**  
_I'll say, "Will you marry me?"_  
_I swear that I will mean it_  
_I'll say, "Will you marry me?"_

_Ooh whoa ooh oh_  
_Ooh whoa ooh oh_  
_Ooh whoa ooh oh_  
_Oh, yeah_

_How many girls in the world can make me feel like this?_  
_Baby I don't ever plan to find out_  
_The more I look, the more I find the reasons why_  
_You're the love of my life_

_You know one of these days when I get my money right_  
_Buy you everything and show you all the finer things in life_  
_We'll forever be in love, so there ain't no need to rush_  
_But one day I won't be able to ask you loud enough_

**[Chorus]**  
_I'll say, "Will you marry me?"_  
_I swear that I will mean it_  
_I'll say, "Will you marry me?"_

**[Bridge]**  
_And if I lost everything_  
_In my heart it means nothing_  
_'Cause I have you,_  
_Girl, I have you_  
_To get right down on bended knee_  
_Nothing else would ever be better, better_  
_That day when..._

_I'll say, "Will you marry me?"_  
_I swear that I will mean it_  
_I'll say, "Will you marry me?"_

_I'll say, "Will you marry me?"_  
_(I'll get down on one knee)_  
_I swear that I will mean it_  
_I'll say, "Will you marry me?"_

_Got me singing_  
_Ooh whoa ooh oh_  
_Got me singing_  
_Ooh whoa ooh oh_  
_Would you marry me, baby?_  
_Ooh whoa ooh oh_  
_Ooh whoa ooh oh_  
_Ooh whoa ooh oh_

_A hundred and five is the number that comes to my head_  
_When I think of all the years I wanna be with you_  
_Wake up every morning with you in my bed_  
_That's precisely what I plan to do, yeah._

As the last notes of the song faded, Ron moved his chair and got down on one knee.

“Hermione Jean Granger, will you marry me?”

“Yes! Ron, yes!” Hermione replied kissing him as he slid the ring on her finger.

Cheers went up and everyone surrounded the couple to congratulate them. Hannah left the table to get the bottle of wine she'd put aside and returned to toast the couple.

It was well after two when Hannah and Neville finally made their way upstairs. It had been a brilliant New Year's Eve. And she was looking forward to what the new year would bring with Neville by her side.

“Happy New Year, love,” Neville said as soon as they were alone.

“Happy New Year,” she grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck. “What's next, d'you think?”

“Well, I'm sure we'll be attending a wedding in the near future.”

“Other than that, I mean.”

“I dunno, I mean there's Valentine's Day next month, so I'm sure you'll have me a proper list of what to do, yeah?” Neville teased.

“Do you still need a list?”

“Not especially, but I know you're dying to write another one,” he grinned.

“Fair enough,” she laughed, tugging him toward the bed. “But that'll keep for now. I want to enjoy the rest of the night in bed with you.”

Neville grinned, knowingly at the thought of another list. He knew it would give him options on what to do when he proposed and perhaps by then he'd have thought up a few options of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics for the song are from a song called "Marry Me" by the amazing Jason Derulo.


End file.
